Eliot to mull plan to vote on budget by referendum

ELIOT, Maine — A non-binding vote will be on November’s ballot to see if voters want to vote on the town budget by referendum. The budget is currently voted on during the floor session of the annual town meeting. A referendum vote will be by secret ballot.

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By Ralph Morang

seacoastonline.com

By Ralph Morang

Posted Aug. 29, 2014 at 12:10 PM
Updated Aug 29, 2014 at 12:11 PM

By Ralph Morang

Posted Aug. 29, 2014 at 12:10 PM
Updated Aug 29, 2014 at 12:11 PM

» Social News

ELIOT, Maine — A non-binding vote will be on November’s ballot to see if voters want to vote on the town budget by referendum. The budget is currently voted on during the floor session of the annual town meeting. A referendum vote will be by secret ballot.

Around 180 voters attended last June’s town meeting. Almost 1,200 voters out of about 5,200 registered voters turned out for secret balloting.

The idea has been floated for a while is has drawn a mix of opinions. Resident Rosanne Adams suggested the non-binding vote to get the opinion of the town.

"I think this is a terrible idea," said Selectman Roland Fernald said. "It would destroy the town meeting form of government. We’ve had trouble trying to get people to come to Town Meeting. It is the best form of government. We need to go to Town Meeting to discuss things before we vote on them. We need to debate those things. I know people will say there will be public hearings. Very few people come to public hearings."

Selectman Rebecca Davis said Town Meeting is not ideal to discuss things in depth.

Selectman Grant Hirst replied, "While I think there are advantages to a referendum, I can’t support change. Town Meeting is democracy at work."

Resident Robert Pomerleau said the 2 percent of voters who attend a Town Meeting do not represent the whole town. "Hold a Town Meeting before the vote. People then have time to think about it," he said.

"Inform people more throughout the year, see if they can bear higher taxes. Have a referendum," Davis said.

Fernald said there was a need to debate the idea of a budget referendum.

"To have (the vote) in November, we will have uninformed people," said resident Janet Saurman. "If we do it, let’s give ourselves more than two months."

The next regular vote would be in June 2015.

Also on the November ballot will be candidates to fill the remaining term of former Board of Selectmen Chairman Mike Moynahan, who resigned last week.

In other business

The town signed a three-year lease with MSAD 35 to lease office space in Eliot Elementary School to the town’s Community Service Department. A cost overage for construction of the office was paid for by using surplus ECSD funds from last year.

On Friday, Aug. 29, and Tuesday, Sept. 2, there will be intermittent road closures on Brixham Road north of Guy’s Way to the York town line for the purpose of replacing cross culverts, part of drainage improvements before pavement reclamation.